Edu dept collecting data to stop frauds, claims AAP; BJP says exercise for 'political purposes'

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Saturday said the exercise of the education department to verify residence proof of school students was aimed at restraining the "mafia" involved in admission frauds.

His remark came after the Election Commission reportedly asked the AAP government to stop the exercise of collecting voter identification details of families of school students.

Sisodia also said poll panel had no mandate in this matter, even as the Delhi BJP hit out at AAP government and accused it of collecting data for "political purposes".

The education mafia is causing this controversy. The EC's mandate is not to support the BJP's education mafia, but to conduct elections. As long as the voter card is a valid address proof, the EC cannot ask us to stop the exercise, the deputy chief minister told reporters.

Sisodia, who is in-charge of the education department, said the "education mafia" exists in Delhi and it runs fake admission rackets.

"During checking it was found that in two schools wrong address proof of children were furnished," he said.

No children will be removed from the schools but the department is seeking address details, the AAP leader said.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, casting doubts on the move of the Delhi government, said it was trying "political gains" in the garb of address verification.

We have been opposing this process since September 2018 when a notification for the purpose was issued by the Delhi government's education directorate," he said.

He claimed that the government was collecting "crucial data", including voter ID data details, phone numbers, address, education qualification of parents of the children.

The Delhi High Court had also raised an objection to it. Now, the Election Commission has also objected to it but what Sisodia is saying is an attack on Federal structure of the country," Tiwari said.

He demanded that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tell people how the collection of data will benefit them.